A New Moon
by KimoraRyuu
Summary: This is a story unknown to all, until now that is. The mysteries of Sesshomaru's mother are now to be cleared, as well as a sibling not even his father knew he had.
1. Passing of the Elder

_World: _Warring States (Feudal Era)

_Period:_ Muromachi (Sengoku-judai)

_Date:_ Saturday, August 12

_Location:_ Adyta Citadel-Sakura Garden

_Time:_ 7:46 pm, just after sunset

_Weather:_ Light breeze, around 70-75F. Sky deep plum/indigo.

A low howl rang out around the four regions as a member of the Crescent Clan faded away. It was the mother of the to-be ruler-Zeneca. Sadaran, Zeneca's sister, had begun the howling. It was then followed by Cultic-Sadaran's mate, Ionemaru-Zeneca's mate, Touga-Zeneca's son, and then the rest of the clan. Touga's howl quickly cut from the group and came from farther away. It was then followed by multiple snarls and growls.

"Milady, please take this as no order but as a concern for your safety, and come inside." One of the palace members said softly, keeping her head bowed to the young dog-like demon in front of her.

"It is just a mere pup. What is to worry about?" the demoness remarked before shooing her six maidens inside. She glanced back at them as they walked hesitantly into the palace and scoffed, turning and walking farther out into the garden. The howl sounded up again once the male pup had stopped for a break and it was dangerously close to the garden.

The howl cut away again and a bit of white smoke came leaking through the trees of the forest lining the garden. The demon miko took a few steps away and slipped a dagger into her hand from up in her sleeve.

A young man no older than the human age of 18 stumbled out of the trees in a final cloud of the smoke and dropped to his knees. He had short white hair just past his chin and was wearing a blue and white kimono that had a few snags and lacerations and it hung partly off one shoulder. The visible shoulder was gushing with blood from a large bite wound. He also wore a navy pair of hakama with a navy blue sash around his waist; those as well had the gashes and lacerations. A few other patches of skin underneath were bloody like he had been in a rough fight.

The miko edged towards him slowly, keeping her grip on the blade tight. "Oi….Daijoubu-ka?" she called out, her voice a bit shaky. For one, this not only was the first other uncultivated demon she had seen, it was the first male. And second, she wasn't sure if he was a rogue or not, whether he'd attack or just stay put there. The fact that he was wearing blood-soaked clothing didn't help matters either.

"…gomen nasai…" he choked out, keeping his head down. His voice was feeble and hoarse like he had been crying recently. He slowly rose and stumbled back until he reached the trunk of one of the trees, using it to keep him up.

At this, the demoness knew she could relax. He was saddened and wounded, she could tell that much, and knew he wasn't a threat. She slipped the dagger back away and walked closer. "It's alright…" she said back quietly, continuing closer.

He raised his head leisurely to see the approaching female and his breath caught in his throat. She stood only mere two or three feet away and her eyes were locked on him. She had bright crystal-blue eyes and silver hair in two side braids that fell to her knees, a dark azure ribbon tied at the end of each. Two pure white dog ears were settled on either side of her face in front of the braids, close to where human's ears sit. She wore royal-looking clothes that were far more elegant than even most high priestesses. Hers was a snow-white and blue three, maybe four-layered kimono that was cut off at the knees, a black and blue-lined obi, then black at the ends of the sleeves.

"I'm Saerai Notanei, the priestess of this citadel." She greeted with a soft smile as she approached the male.

He slid down the trunk and sat alongside it, his head against the tree as he stared at the demoness. "Touga Ryuugain, Dog lord over the Western and Southern regions." He introduced, lifting his head up to look back up at her.

When he looked up, his face was finally observable. He bore some of the common markings of a inu youkai, one cobalt blue stripe one each cheek though no moon like the rest of his clan. His ears also came to a point at the end and he had claws like most youkai.

"Sorry about your loss." She said quietly, glancing to the ground.

The male named Touga let out a quiet sigh and looked away, up at the moon that hung overhead. "It is alright…she was far in years…Any youkai over 7, 000 couldn't have made it through a war like that."

"7, 000? That is one for the records, is it not? I myself am only 640." Saerai said, in shock of hold old the male's mother had been. Her own mother was only 4, 000.

Her gaze drifted back up to him and she began wondering if the other male demons looked as good as he did or if he was one-of-a-kind. She bet he looked even better when not covered in all that crimson liquid.

"I will be entering my early 800's in the next moon phase." He informed her, turning from the moon and back to her. He rose from the ground and leaned his shoulder against the tree.

"Well….Ryuugain-san…It was a pleasure meeting you but I cannot stay out any longer. My ceremony is in a few weeks and I must prepare." The demoness said timidly, backing away.

"Ceremony….What kind?" he asked, his curiosity intrigued.

"I am to be promoted to Lady of the Northern Lands." She said proudly before turning her back to him and walking off the path onto the small bridge.

He pushed off the tree and walked after her. "Really now? Don't you have to be wedded for that?" he questioned, maneuvering in front of her and blocking her path.

"That is none of your business." She replied stridently, turning her head to the side with a low growl.

"I know for a fact you do. I am a Lord myself and I had to." Touga said, stepping to the side and catching her gaze again.

A trivial pain hit Saerai and she looked down. _'Of course he is already taken…'_ she thought then let out a deep sigh.

As if knowing what she had been thinking, Touga grabbed hold of the demoness's chin gently and titled it up so she'd look at him. "But just because you have to wed someone you don't know, doesn't mean they'll stay around. Destiny plays a big part in our lives, and if it's not meant to be, it won't."

Saerai just froze at his touch, her eyes locking with his. The wind blew frivolously and a few sakura petals came free and blew past them as darkness began to fall.

Just as Touga began to incline down to give the miko his parting gift, the turret doors flew open and her mother came waltzing out with the six maids. The demon jumped in revelation and snapped his head towards the forthcoming females. He then cursed and took a step back, stumbling over the edge of the bridge and landing in the lagoon below. He scampered up to his feet and pressed back against the overpass, holding his breath and hoping the water would still.

"Saerai, come! We must pick out your kimono threads!" her mother snapped harshly, grabbing hold of the miko's wrist and dragging her along, the maids rushing ahead to get the doors. Saerai turned back to find Touga pulling himself out of the water and onto the bridge path, choking out some of the lake water.

After pulling himself up and standing, he shook off partly and turned to her, grinning. Even with his hair soaked and hanging down in his face, the demoness couldn't help but think it made him look even better. 'Farewell' she mouthed silently to him before being yanked into the palace, the doors slamming behind her and then bolted.

He rang out his clothes the best he could and ran down the path after her. He jumped up onto the vine lattes and climbed up to the roof. He followed the sound of Saerai's footsteps below. Her mother dragged her to one of the main bedroom chambers and threw her in with two of the maids to change. As soon as he was sure the mother was gone, he swung down onto the balcony and slipped undetected into her room.

"You didn't give me time to say my goodbye." He said with a smirk, pushing the shear blue curtains aside and walking in. Her maids gasped and dropped the fabric, cowering away. Saerai blushed and turned away quickly, holding her remaining kimono layer up.

"D-do you have no manners? No m-male shall see a female… unless they are lovers or blood…We are neither." She stuttered, and then blushed deeper as he grew closer.

"We could be though." He said quietly, still bearing the smirk, then slipped around in front of her. "Even both." He added.

Saerai flushed cherry-red and stumbled back. "P-please leave. Bid me adieu and run off till morrow." She said softly, casting her gaze to the floor.

One of her maids, the elder, stepped forward and bowed her head in respect. "Pardon me for speaking without acquiescence sir, but you are soiling our carpets."

Touga's smirk slipped away and he glanced down, noticing his clothes had dripped all over the carpet. It was an assortment of blood and lake water. "Oh…my deepest apologies…" he muttered, glancing back up with a slight look of guilt.

"Ryuugain-san. It is time for you to bid adieu." Saerai repeated, her gaze finally lifting to his.

"Alas, it is." He said with a sigh, then reached back out and gently lifted the miko's head by her chin. "My gift…" he whispered before leaning down and kissing her on the lips lightly. She blushed deeply but before she could react, he pulled away and appeared back at the door of the balcony.

"My farewell…" he added in a whisper before bowing sincerely and jumping off the side of the balcony.

Saerai pulled from her shocked maids to the balcony and almost fell over the edge, looking for the dog. She lifted a hand slowly and ran it over her lips, smiling lightly. "Farewell…Touga-kun." She whispered as she watched the young canine run off towards the tree line where a few white and dreary wolves had gathered for him.

The young youkai ran out of her view, but not out of her life. This was certainly not the last of her Romeo.


	2. Going for a walk on the wild side

_World: _Warring States (Feudal Era)

_Period:_ Muromachi (Sengoku-judai)

_Date:_ Sunday, August 27

_Location:_ Adyta Citadel-Training Halls

_Time:_ 5:34 pm

Sounds of shouting and blunt impacts rang out through the large chamber of the cut off house as the miko Saerai trained with her master.

"Too slow!" her Shishou snarled, shoving Saerai and her partner apart. He turned to the miko sharply. "Left palm, right palm, right uppercut, left sweep, over, pin!" he demonstrated for the fifth time, his movements quicker then the blink of an eye. Saerai groaned and turned back to her partner.

She repeated the moves a lot slower than he had showed and missed her landing on the front flip, slamming down onto her back. "Aie!" she cried out in pain, biting her lower lip and slowly sitting up. Her master yanked her up and shoved her back forward while she rubbed her backside.

"No time for mistakes! Keep going!" he snapped at her as her partner retook his stance. She nodded and stepped towards him, then did the routine again and stuck the flip this time, pinning her partner to the ground by stepping on his chest right below his throat.

"Better…now, next. Current, switch, falling star, uppercut, kickback." He called out, not demonstrating the new combo this time. Saerai did her best to copy it by memory but at the uppercut she lost her balance and fell forward, her partner slamming down on her. She cried out again and her master threw the 'dummy' off, yanking her to her feet.

"Enough for today. Go wash up." He muttered while grabbing hold of Saerai's partner by the wrist roughly. "Your mother will fetch you in an hour's time." He called over his shoulder while dragging the boy with him. Saerai sighed and walked off, still rubbing the bruise now forming on her back.

_(5:51 pm)_

After grabbing a towel and a clean kimono, Saerai made her way down the lavender-lined path towards the hot spring. She pulled off her training armor, haori, and hakama and tossed them beside the bank. She then pulled her hair free from the topknot and waded into the hot water slowly, steam rising up as she did. Once she was in far enough where the water went to her shoulders, she positioned herself back against a rock lining the pool.

She then let out a heavy sigh, looking up at the moon. "It has been over two moon phases. Why have you not returned?" she called out softly, then looked down to the water with another sigh. She then closed her eyes and sunk down a bit more in the water till in reached her chin, laying her head back against the rock.

Only a few seconds later, some twigs and leaves crunched from the forest behind her and she slinked down deeper into the water, her ears pricking forward in attention. The sounds grew closer, like footsteps, followed by rustling not far behind. She slowly reached back to the ground behind her and searched for some kind of big stick.

Once she found a branch suitable, one that looked capable of knocking one out quite easily, she held her breath and sat in silence. As the foot steps grew both closer and quieter, her grip on the branch tightened. She raised it as the approaching person grew behind her but a hand quickly shot out, snatching the branch and the other covering Saerai's mouth.

Her eyes widened and she began to struggle to pull away, at the same time trying to scream, her calls muffled though. "Saerai, it's alright. It's me." A young male whispered into her ear from behind, slowly removing his grip from her mouth. She shot around to see the dog-demon from a few weeks before kneeling in front of her with a lazy grin, his group of wolves gathered not far behind him.

"Touga!" she cried out in joy, jumping up and throwing her arms around his neck. He hugged her back then they both blushed. He quickly pulled away and turned around to his wolves as she rushed to the bank across the spring and snatched her towel, quickly wrapping herself. She brushed her hair back behind her shoulders and wiped the water from her face.

"Are you decent?" he asked then gave his wolves a light sneer. A few of them huffed with a shake of their head and the corner of their lips tugged up in a smirk.

"Yes." She replied, sitting down on a rock beside the spring. Touga turned and smiled at her.

"Sorry I didn't return sooner. I've become the new lord over my clan! Everyone bows to me and obeys whatever I say." He informed her proudly, then gave a chuckle. "Just thought it was time to take a small break though."

"Well, I am glad that you did. I missed you." Saerai told him then blushed a light pink.

"Hey, wanna go somewhere together?" he suddenly asked, springing forward and growing real close to the female. The sudden action almost made her fall over back wards.

She steadied herself and met his gaze. "Um…sure. Where to though?""

"I want you to meet a friend of mine first. Then he'll take us somewhere." Touga replied before jumping to his feet. His wolves gathered closer though kept their gaze locked on the miko. He held out a hand to her and they eased partly.

She grabbed the hand and pulled herself up, making sure the towel stayed in place. "Alright. Just let me get dressed and I'll be right out." She told him before rushing inside. She then came back out with a knee length navy and white kimono on, with sleeves to the elbows, and silver trim. Her hair was pulled back into a braid then looped at the top, making two small loops near the back and the braid seemingly shorter.

Touga's breath left him and he took a stumbling step forward. "Well…Milady. Shall we..go now?" he asked, breathing deeply.

The miko gave a soft laugh and grabbed hold of one of his arms. "Alright then, lead on."

He placed his other hand on hers and held it firmly. "Hold on tight and leave everything to me." He whispered as his wolves began trotting into the forest. While she was still in confusion, he pushed off from the ground and bolted forward, the surroundings flashing by.

"Dog demons of my clan are none for their speed. Only one other clan can even match us." He said proudly to her with a grin and she just gripped his arm tightly.

"Is this safe?" she cried out, noticing how they had passed the wolves and left them behind at what appeared to be miles back.

"Safe? Hah! What's life without risks?" he said with a laugh and jumped up out of the trees, soaring down once free from the forest.

"Time to show you what a real youkai is."


End file.
